Perforating gun



Nov. 23, 1943. Y A. A. TAUBEN 2,334,964 I J PERFORATING GUN Filed June17, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 m I M I, I? X k INVENTOR:

fiLEX/INDER 4. 77w5E/v,

A TTOENE Y5 NOV. 23, 1943. TAUBEN 2,334,964

PERFORATING GUN Filed June 17, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 TifiE. 6871 .5.

IN V EN TOR. iL/sm/vaae 14.77IUBEN A TTOIQNE Y5 Patentecl Nov. 23, 1943I PERFORATING GUN Alexander A. Tauben, Bakersfield, Calif., assignor toBishop Oil Company, San

Francisco, Calii'.,

\ a corporation of California Application June 17, 1942, Serial No.447,380 c Claims. (01. 164-05) This invention relates generally to wellworking tools and more particularly to devices for perforating wellcasing to increase the yield of a well.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a perforating gunemploying bullet cartridges for perforating casing in the well hole,,the invention being structurally and functionally characterized by: (1)low cost of construction, and use of inexpensive ammunition permittinginexpensive exploration of upper and shallow strata having small yield,as compared to the use of devices heretofore proposed, whose complexityand attending high cost can be be borne only by the operators of wellshaving large production, in contrast to which the tool embodying thisinvention can be profitably used by operators of wells producing heavy,low value crudes,

and shallow wells which usually produce only one to five barrels perday, so that a one hundred percent increase in production would notjustify the use of an expensive perforating device; (2) elimination ofthe expense of factory loaded barrel and cartridge units requiring abarrel for each cartridge, with the attending cost and maintenance of alarge stock of expensive barrels, as well as the danger of transportingand handling such explosive units; (3) safe handling due to the factthat the barrels are field loaded and directly applied to the gun justprior to use, and cannot be discharged by pressure alone, but requirepercussion efiected by a go-devil or other form of impact deliveringmeans, and (4) extreme simplicity of its mechanism, low cost ofreplacement parts, and ease of inspection and repair.

With this and other objects in view, the invention resides in thecombinations, arrangements and functional relationships of elements asset forth in the following specification and particularly pointed out inthe appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view, partly in elevation,of one form of perforating gun embodying this invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of theperforating gun, with the mechanism thereof in normal or set position;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 with the mechanism actuated tofir the gun;

Figure a is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure2;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view in elevation of a portion of theperforating gun, and show- ,lines a. b and c in larged diameter ing anoperative connection embodied in the mechanism; and

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Figure2.

Referring specifically to the drawings, the invention in its illustratedembodiment is primarily intended for use under conditions in which andis detachably secured to the latter by means of a nut l4 threaded on astud I5 projecting from the forward end ofthe main section and throughan opening in a transverse partition. I6 in the intermediate section.The intermediate section is prevented from turning on the main sectionby a pin Ilia, and co-acts with the main section to define a springchamber ll between the partition l6 and the forward end of the mainsection. The nose piece H is detachably secured to the forward end ofthe intermediate section l2 by means of a fastening member l8.

The tail end of the main section I0 is provided with a cylindricalcoaxial extension 20 in which is screwed the attaching stud 2i of aconnector 22 on one end of a wire line 23 by which the perforating gunis lowered into a string of casing in a well hole and is suspended atthe location desired for the perforating operation. The stud 2| isprovided with a jam nut 26 by which the connector 22 is locked to thesection III.

At intervals along the length of the main section Ill, are barrels 30,the bores 3! of which receive bullet cartridges 32. In the presentinstance three of the barrels are provided and are arranged in the bodyat a one hundred and twenty degree spacing as the body is viewed intransverse section and as indicated by the center Figure 4. The barrels30 are of identical construction and each is externally threaded at Handis screwed into a radial pocket 34 in the section ii). The outer end ofeach barrel is provided with a wrench receiving head 35, and the outerend of each pocket 32 is of enas indicated at 36, to receive a socketwrench (not shown) in applying the wrench to the head.

For each barrel 30 a firing mechanism is provided, and each is arrangedabout the same radial center line a, b, or c as the respectivemechanism. As the firing mechanisms are constructed iden- 2 tically inall essentials, a detailed description of one mechanism will sufi'lcefor all.

Each firing mechanism comprises a firing pin 3? reciprocably mounted ina radial bore 38 in the section it in center fire relation to the primerof a cartridge 32 in the respective barrel 30. The rear end of thefiring pin'3'l extends into a radial pocket 39in the section I, theouter end of which pocket is threaded to receive a closure plug to. Therear end of the firing pin is bifurcated to receive one arm 4| of'abell-crank lever 42 pivoted on a pin 43 carried by spaced lugs 44 onabracket 45 secured against the bottom wall of the pocket- 39 by screws46, and having an opening 41 through which the firing pin freely passes.

A cotter pin 48 spans the bifurcated portion of the firing pin and isadapted to be engaged by the arm 4| of the lever 42 to retract thefiring pin in a manner to be later described. The other arm 49 oi thelever 42 is interposed between coaxially related rods 50 and BIreciprocably mounted in a longitudinal bore extending through the mainsection it, with the outer end of the rod BI located in the springchamber l1 and having a stop collar 52 against which one end of a coilspring 53 abuts. The other end of the spring 53 receives a centeringstud 54 and bears against the partition I6 so as to function in urgingthe rod against the arm 4| to retain the firing pin 31 in the retractedposition shown in Figure 2, and to urge the rod 50 to the extremeposition shown in this figure, wherein the rod projects into an an=nular sealing chamber 55 formed in the rear end of the section i0 aroundthe extension 2t).

Reciprocably mounted on the extension 26 and having a head 56 bearingagainst the rods ill of the three firing mechanisms in the chamber 55,is a plunger 51 broadly constituting an actuating element common I tothe several firing mechanisms. The plunger is provided with an annularshoulder 58 which co-acts with a retaining nut 59 screwed into the rearend of the body section to limit the upward movement of the plungerunder the urging action of the springs 53 of the three mechanisms.

The plunger 57 has a screwed into the plunger and locked thereto by anut 6 l. .The extension 60 freely receives the wire line 23 and enclosesthe connector 22. Suitable packings t2 and 63 are provided on theplunger to seal the chamber 65 against the entrance of foreignsubstances. A sleeve 85 of waterproof canvas or other suitable flexiblematerial is secured by a metal band 66 to the section ill, and by asecond metal band 61 to the extension to provide an additional means forprotecting the enclosed parts against foreign substances.

The upper end of the plunger extension 80 is formed to provide an anvilor striking surface 68 and is adapted to be struck by a go-devil 69 orother weighted body freely receiving the wire line 23 and adapted to bedropped from the top of the well hole to strike the anvil 68 andsimultaneously actuate the three firing mechanisms in the operation ofthe perforating gun which lows:

With the three barrels loaded with bullet cartridges 32 and then screwedinto the respective bores 34, the perforating gun is lowered by the line23 into the well casing to the desired level for perforating the casing.With the gun suspended at such level, the go-devil 89 or other impactdelivering mass is released from the top of the well so as to gravitateon the line 23 and strike aesaeea tubular extension 80 the anvil 88,thus driving the plunger 51 from its uppermost extreme position shown inFigure 3. This motion is directly transmitted to the rods which rock thebell-crank levers 42 and project the respective firing pins 21 to strikethe primers of the cartridges 32 and simultaneously fire the latter forperforation of the casing by the bullets of the cartridges. Thecompressed springs 23 immediately act to restore the parts to theposition shown in Figure 2, for a repetition of the operation uponreloading the barrels alter the gun is raised from the hole.

It will be clear that a greater or lesser number of gun barrels andco-acting firing mechanisms can be provided in the body 13, and that theprinciple of the rods 60 and BI with the interposed bell-crank leverscould be utilized to provide for additional gun barrels and firingmechanisms at locations along the length of a longer body should it bedesired to simultaneously perforate the easing at a greater number ofpoints.

I claim:

1. A perforating gun I comprising: a body adapted .to be lowered into awell casing; a plurality ofcartridge barrels arranged at intervals alongthe length of said body and at different locations circumferentiallythereof to discharge cartridges in difierent directions laterally of thebody; firing mechanisms, one for each of said barrels; each of saidmechanisms including an actuating rod, with said rods arranged atcircumferentially spaced locations in the body and parallel to thelongitudinal axis thereof; and a plunger reciprocably mounted on thebody and having an end bearing upon an end of each rod for movementthereof to actuate the firing mechanisms and simultaneously dischargesaid barrels when said plunger is struck.

2. A perforating gun comprising: a body adapted to be lowered into awell casing; a plurality of cartridge barrels arranged at intervalsalong the length of said body and at different locationscircumferentially thereof to discharge cartridges in differentdirections laterally of the body; firing mechanisms, one for each ofsaid barrels; each of said mechanisms including a firing pin, abell-crank lever having one arm operatively connected to said pin, twoactuating is as folrods between which the other arm of the bellcranklever is interposed, and a spring co-acting with one of said rods andwith said lever to urge the other rod and the firing pin to an extremeposition wherein the firing pin is retracted; and a plunger reciprocablymounted on said body and engaging said other rod of each of the firingmechanisms to actuate the latter by simultaneously projecting the firingpins thereof when said plunger is struck.

3. A perforating gun comprising: a body adapted to be lowered into awell casing; a plurality of cartridge barrels arranged at intervalsalong the length of said body and at different locationscircumferentially thereof to discharge cartridges in differentdirections laterally of the body; firing pins, one for each barrel andmounted in the body to occupy projected and retracted positions; anactuatingelement reciprocably mounted on the body; actuating rodsextending longitudinally of the body, with one for each firing pin andengaged by said element at different circumferentially spaced locations;

- means operatively connecting said rods to the respective firing pinsto project the latter simultaneously when said element is struck; and

means for urging the firing pins to retracted position and said elementto one extreme position through the medium of said rods.

4. A. perforating gun comprising: a body adapted to be lowered into awell casing and having a gun barrel adapted to discharge a cartridgelaterally of the body; a firing pin for said barrel; 2, bell-crank leverhaving one arm operatively connected to said pin; two actuating rods between which the other arm of said lever is interposed; a springco-acting with one of said rods and with said lever to urge the otherrod and the firing pin to one extreme position wherein the firing pin isretracted; and a plunger reciprocably mounted on said body and engagingsaid other rod to move the firing pin to cartridge-firing position whensaid plunger is struck by a go-devil released into the well casing.

5. A perforating gun comprising: a body having an extension at its upperend to which a line is connectible to lower the body into a well casing;the body having a sealing chamber around said extension; a plungerreciprocably mounted on said extension to extend into said chamber, andhaving an anvil adapted to be struck by a godevil to move the plungerdownwardly in the chamber; a gun barrel supported in the body for thedischarge of a cartridge laterally thereof;

and firing mechanism for said barrel including an actuating rodprojecting into said chamber and engaged by the end of said plunger formovement thereby to actuate said-mechanism and fire a cartridge in saidbarrel when said plunger is struck as aforestated.

- 6. A perforating gun comprising: a body having an extension at itsupper end to which a line is connectible to lower the body into a Wellcasing; the body having a sealing chamber around said extension; aplunger reciprocably mounted on said extension to extend into saidchamber, and having an anvil adapted to be struck by a godevii to move.the plunger downwardly in the chamber; a gun barrel supported in thebody for the discharge of a cartridge laterally thereof; a firing pinfor said barrel; a bell-crank lever having one arm operatively connectedto said pin; two actuating rods between which the other arm of saidlever is interposed; a spring co-acting with one of said rods and withsaid lever to urge the other rod and the firing pin to one extremeposition wherein the firing pin is retracted and said other rod projectsinto said chamber and engages said plunger to retain the latter againstdownward movement in the chamber.

ALEXANDER A. TAUBEN.

